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Accused Of Sexual Abuse: The Monks That Live Next Door

4/29/2011 8:41:00 AM

Esme Murphy, WCCO-TV

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Earlier this month, St. John’s Abbey in
Collegeville mailed letters to thousands of St. John’s Prep School alumni saying
over a period of more than 40 years, 17 monks had “credible allegations of
sexual abuse brought against them.”

Four of the monks have died, 10 remain at the Abbey with restrictions imposed
on their activities.

But three of the monks accused of sexually abusing children and young adults
live here in the Twin Cities.

The outward serenity of St. John’s University and the adjoining St. John’s
prep college has harbored scandal.

“The subculture of secrecy and sexuality has run so deep and so long that it
may be among the worse that I have ever encountered,” Attorney Jeff Anderson
said.

Anderson’s lawsuits forced the Abbey into releasing the names of the accused
monks.

Brother John Kelly was seen at his St. Michael home, just down the street
from an elementary school.

Esme Murphy: “The college has put out a list, has put
your name on a list, saying there are credible allegations of sexual abuse
against you. What do you have to say about that?”

Murphy: “I do understand the Christian religion and it’s
about forgiveness. Do you feel you deserve forgiveness?”

Kelly:“I appreciate your program and
everything you do, but I just can’t say anything.”

Later, Anderson watched the interview with Brother Kelly.

“When I watched that, it made me feel a little sick and actually pretty
scared,” he said. “Scared because he is in the community.”

Kelly is still a monk, but is on leave from the Abbey.

Another monk named in the letter, who is also on leave from
the Abbey, is Fran Hoefgen. He lives in a townhouse in Columbia Heights.

Hoefgen ran from WCCO-TV cameras, as they tried to interview him outside his
job at the Washburn-McReavey funeral chapel.

“Fran Hoefgen is really disturbing,” Anderson said. “He molested several
youth while in parishes while being assigned out of the Abbey.”

Half a block from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, WCCO-TV caught up
with Stephen Lilly.

Murphy: “Your name was on that list.”

Lilly: “It’s an unfortunate set of
circumstances.”

Lilly left the Abbey in the 1990s after being accused in a lawsuit of
molesting a St. John’s University student. The Abbey said Hoefgen and Kelly must
decide soon whether they will return to St. John’s and the monastic life.

St. John’s released this statement today:

“St. John’s University is committed to educational excellence and an
experience that is safe and respectful for all students. The Abbey’s safety
plans are designed to provide a safe environment for all who live, study and
work at St. John’s. Monks on safety plans are barred from student residences and
other campus spaces that could lead to contact with students in non-public
areas.”